Charlene's Recipe

Lone star chili

Category: Main entree

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 2 hours
Ready in 2 hours 20 minutes
Serves a crowd

Before there was chips and salsa, before there was breakfast burritos, there was chili con carne (chili with meat). This simple stew of beef and hot peppers takes a 20 minute pregame session (chopping and browning, mostly), then simmers quietly on the back burner until halftime. It's spicy, gut warming, beer friendly and the perfect one pot meal for any all guy gathering. And besides having a remarkably high payoff to effort ratio, once you make this simple dish a few times, you've pretty much mastered it. Make it chunky style for by-the-bowl feasting, or break up the meaty clusters and it's a fine hot dog topper.

2 lbs lean ground beef (the leaner the better)
3 Tbsp onive oil
2 large onions,chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
5 Tbsp chili powder
1 1/2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 tsp dried Oregano, crushed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp ground red pepper
3 cups hot water
6 oz tomato paste

Set a large heavy pot over medium heat. Add the beef and cook, breaking it up with a spoon, until brown. Transfer the beef to a bowl and set aside. Discard any drippings in the pot.
Heat the oil in the same pot over medium high heat. Add the onions and garlic: cook until softened, about five minutes. Add the chili powder, cumin, oregano, black and red pepper snd cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant. Stir in the reserved beef, hot water and tomato paste, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the mixture is thick and the flavors are blended, at least 30 minutes.